User blog:Cfp3157/Special Citation Ballot: 2019
The quality of cinema can't always be measured in terms of directing, or acting, or camerawork. Sometimes, films can leave a real impact based off of pure emotion or subjective framing that can't be traditionally described and judged by established awards metrics. They're the moments that make the movies magical. With that, here is this year's edition of the Special Citation Awards. Most Underrated Movie: The Two Popes The debate of faith, virtue, and tradition makes for a rapturous environment for the masterful pen of Anthony McCarten and the divine actors of Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce to work with in The Two Popes. Although Hopkins and McCarten are within the cusp of awards attention, the lack of passion for the film in other areas despite the dedication by Fernando Meirelles and his team is astounding to say the least. Jonathan Pryce is delivering career best work, while the level of talent required for Mark Tildesley to recreate the Vatican and the lush camerawork of Cesar Charlone is being ignored. An unfortunate side effect of the competitiveness of awards season, The Two Popes will hopefully see a bright future as a treasured gem to those that saw it. Honorable Mentions: Abominable may have came and gone, but what will be undeniable is the heart and soul that made for one of the most enjoyably charming films of the year. Late Night is just one of many studio comedies to have fallen flat, which is a shame given the diverse talent involved in front and behind the camera. The Report is an efficient and tense investigative drama, with a calculating turn from Adam Driver and riveting in its tactful dedication to the procedural. Most Overrated Movie: The Lighthouse Perhaps one of the strongest examples of how overrated can never be synonymous with bad, with the audacious and truly unique perspective of Robert Eggers proven once again to be a voice worth hearing with The Lighthouse. That being said, the film is perhaps too niche and too abstract for its own good. The characters are interesting within the moment but, despite career best work from Pattinson and another great role from Dafoe, lack the heft and weight to make them interesting. Eggers' work and aesthetic is beyond the norm, but it is just a tadbit beyond the approachable as well. Honorable Mentions: Marriage Story is a truly heartfelt film with excellent performances all around, but it stumbles with strange editing choices and inconsistent tone. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood gives a stellar Matthew Rhys performance and recreates Mister Rogers' neighborhood perfectly, but its cold detachment and lack of real intimacy with its subject matter makes it a dull affair. Ad Astra is a truly beautiful film to see and listen, but the story itself lacks real substance or heft to make it worth the watch despite a career high point for Pitt. Best Villain: Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi), Jojo Rabbit In the year of 2019, it seems fitting that one of history's most vile and despicable people is given the cinematic equivalent of a roast session. Taika's version of Adolf Hitler is at first strangely likeable, with a compassionate soft spot for the titular protagonist Jojo Rabbit. However, the immaturity of a ten year old's version of Adolf Hitler soon turns into a true virulently terrible form of hatred and toxic masculinity, which Waititi brings to life perfectly. Taika manages to balance the initially comical portrayal of Hitler well, while never letting audiences forget that he is a symbol for racism, misogyny, and anti-semitism, and how such ideologies take root in the impressionable youth if not confronted - or, punted out a window. Honorable Mentions: Chris Evans is the pinnacle of upper class entitlement and turns his charisma into a dagger with his career best performance Knives Out. John Lithgow sucks all of the oxygen out of the room whenever he is present as Roger Ailes, menacing in just the right ways in Bombshell. Lupita N'Yongo plays deliciously against herself as the villainous doppelganger, with her raspy voice penetrating into viewers hearts for Us. Best Action Scene: Avengers Assemble!, Avengers: Endgame The moment audiences have spent an entire decade longing for, to hear someone say those two magic words: Avengers, Assemble. There are moments throughout the finale of the MCU that was Avengers: Endgame that would make a stellar inclusion on any list of action scenes, such as the Big Three Against Thanos or Captain America versus Captain America. But this takes the cake; Captain America, the bastion of hope and resilience against all odds, facing down an army. Battered, beaten, but never broken, the resolute tightening of his shattered shield, only to hear a reassurance from Falcon. Alan Silvestri's score kicks in with gusto as every superhero possible emerges from portals, along with an army of their own to face off against Thanos. Valkyrie, with the might of Asgard behind her; Black Panther and the wrath of Wakanda; Ravagers and fighters from every corner of the galaxy. What follows is a kinetic, masterful display of the heroes triumphing against evil filled with tinier setpieces worth praising, but what matters and caused the globe to erupt into cheers were those two magic words: Avengers, Assemble. Honorable Mentions: By far one of the most surprisingly fun movies of the year, Ryan Reynolds and his crew of anonymous nobodies stage a rescue in the Hong Kong skyline with the perfect balance of humor, kinetic action, and tense moments of dread in 6 Underground. In a film filled with dynamic races, the recreation of the Le Mans 66 is pure adrenaline and high octane thrills with machine-like precision in Ford v. Ferrari. With a spark of creativity and visual splendor the rest of the film seems to lack, Mysterio's Ambush made for one of the most dizzying and fantastical action setpieces in Spider-Man: Far from Home. Best Comedic Performance: "Gigi" (Billie Lourd), Booksmart One described her as "That one photo of Carrie Fisher in a trash can with a wine bottle", and its amazingly accurate. There's a nearly indescrible chaotic energy that exists in the performance by Billie Lourd as Gigi in Booksmart. Her random appearances throughout the odyssey of the two main characters, accompanied by a word of wisdom disguised as a drug-induced rant about any range of topic, makes for some of the wildest and funniest moments of the decade. Billie Lourd gives Gigi a heart, but it's beneath a layer of self-confidence, rage, energy, and pizzazz that defines the existence of this weird creation from the minds of Lourd, director Olivia Wilde, and the screenwriters. She is a golden starfish, swan diving into the future of comedy that would make Carrie Fisher very proud. Honorable Mentions: Lili Reinhart portrays an amazing sense of going far over her head and charmingly innocent fear with her overexaggerated performance to perfection in Hustlers. Eddie Murphy has never been as funny in the last decade, bringing electricity to the silver screen and breathing life into a brilliant performance in Dolemite is My Name. Toni Colette captures the adult version of millennial absurdism and eccentric lifestyle gurus to perfection with just the right amount of airheaded pretension in Knives Out. Best Musical Sequence: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Judy Garland (Performed by Renee Zellweger), Judy Judy Garland's influence and magical charisma may have been ecstatic to people that got to see her, but one life tragically cut short by her own demons and the demons of the studio system that haunted her is the subject of Judy. As the film draws to a close after providing a commercialized glimpse into her final days, Renee Zellweger pours her heart and soul into a rendition of the song that defined Garland's career. This version of Garland, singing about blue birds and wishes upon stars, has seen the other side of the rainbow. She chokes, her voice a weathered version of what it was, and begs her audiences to not forget her. As the audience tears up and finishes the song for her, one hopes that wherever she is, Judy knows she isn't just not forgotten but remembered and loved. Honorable Mentions: The freedom of an artist to perform and the rebellious dive back into vices is given gusto from Jessie Buckley in her rendition of Chris Stapletone's "Outlaw State of Mind" in the underrated gem Wild Rose. The platonic love of two friends and partners that complete each other makes for some of the most touching and soulful moments as Taron Egerton and Jamie Bell sing a different type of love song with Elton John's "Your Song" in Rocketman. Giving into his exhaustion and frustration, as well as love lost, Adam Driver gives new life and meaning to classic Stephen Sondheim number "Being Alive" in Marriage Story. Best Couple: "Kayla" (Margot Robbie) and "Jess" (Kate McKinnon), Bombshell For all the flaws of Jay Roach's attempt at a MeToo film that is Bombshell, what cannot be disparaged is the excellent work of Margot Robbie. This especially applies to the scenes she shares with Kate McKinnon, who become lovers upon their first introduction and allies to each other from then on. The dynamic between these two homosexual women in the conservative environment, especially from closeted liberal Jess, is one of the most gripping as their relationship transcends romance into a moment of female solidarity, Honorable Mentions: Despite the age difference, there's little doubt of the physical chemistry and genuine affection shared between Adam Sandler and Julia Fox in Uncut Gems. Experienced actors often provide a subtle nuance and understanding that can only be captured with age, as shown by the quiet tenderness between Song Kang-Ho and Chang Hyae-Jin in Parasite. Despite doing so with animated faces and bodies, the sincerity of the relationship between Tom Hanks and Annie Potts makes for a riveting narrative thrust in Toy Story 4. Worst Couple: "Beverly" (Jessica Chastain) and Ben (Jay Ryan), It: Chapter 2 On multiple fronts, the pairing of Beverly and Ben simply doesn't work in It: Chapter 2. The characters lack any real motivation or chemistry to pair together, aside from the possible but unexplored possibility of offering Ben's gentler, kinder form of masculinity as an alternative to the male abusers the character of Bev has endured. This ignores the dangers of propelling the "just be nice, she'll love you eventually" mindset. On another level, Jessica Chastain simply lacks the chemistry and Jay Ryan lacks the talent to make the couple work on at least a physical level to be brought off the page. Honorable Mentions: Despite the talent of both young actors involved, Sophie Turner and Tye Sheridan can't bring to surface what isn't there in their ham-fisted, tacked on romance in X-Men: Dark Phoenix. The pairing of the idiosyncratic nerd and the punk badass has never worked with Emma Stone and Jesse Eisenberg, and it fails once again with forced conflict in Zombieland: Double Tap. Forgetting the downright offensive and troubling politics of the pairing, Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley share no narrative reasons to become romantically involved despite spending a trilogy setting it up in Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker. Good Performance, Bad Movie: Renee Zellweger, Judy Returning to the silver screen after what feels like forever, Renee Zellweger provides a truly magnificent performance inside the otherwise dull and traditional Judy. She provides the broken heart and tired weight upon her shoulders that makes her version of Judy Garland someone worth feeling for despite the decisions she makes. Zellweger also does the singing herself, providing a voice that truly encapsulates the broken Judy with the occasional crack and raspy delivery. It's a return to grace for Zellweger, and one that will hopefully signal a new career resurgence. Honorable Mentions: Bill Hader is the absolute standout in an ensemble of talented but wasted actors, infusing his performance with genuine heart and humor in It: Chapter 2. Adam Driver is having a fantastic year, capping it off with his trademark intensity and nuance that is lacking in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Seth Rogen is his usual humourous and enthusiastic self in an otherwise heartless remake, providing much needed passion to The Lion King. Bad Performance, Good Movie: James Norton, Little Women Although Norton brings a sense of camraderie when interacting with Timothee Chalamet, he is the least engaging cast member in an otherwise phenomenal ensemble whenever he appears in Little Women. He lacks chemistry with scene partner Emma Watson, who's relationship with Norton is the pivotal redemption factor of her character. Norton's delivery is stiff and too rehearsed, and he lacks the passion to share the screen alongside Watson to give off a believably loving husband. Honorable Mentions: Michael C. Hall is disappointing bland in a part seemingly meant for him as a cutthroat, analytical officer in the C.I.A. in The Report. Tom Hanks comes off as too stiff and too awkward, neither giving a good impression nor a good evocation of Fred Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. Jaeden Martell is given a hefty task of attempting to perform with only a few lines to do so, and unfortunately could not in Knives Out. Yearly Achievement Award: Adam Driver The praise for Adam Driver is nearly impossible to overestimate, given both his affable personality and his raw talent. Beginning the year with an Academy Award nomination for BlacKKKlansman, Driver gave three performances worth praising in their versatility and differences; from his intense villain in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker to his deliberate stoicism in The Report. He's receiving heaps of praise for his career best turn Marriage Story, where his emotional nuance and pride bears a soul into a disarmingly complex individual. Driver also happens to be a military veteran and founder of the Arts in the Armed Forces, a performing company that performs for all branches of the U.S. military and veterans, families, and events. Adam Driver is the pinnacle of what his generation of talent has to offer, on both a film and human level. Lifetime Achievement Award: Brad Pitt There are plenty of reasons to praise Brad Pitt as an actor; his career is littered with a wide variety of performances, from his diabolical villains like Fight Club and The Assassination of Jesse James to his comedic works like Burn After Reading and Inglourious Basterds. He continues to deliver to this day, with Ad Astra and his critically acclaimed Once Upon A Time in...Hollywood serving as new highs in his career. However, that's not why he deserves a Lifetime Achievement Award. It is because of his consistent and persistent elevation of unique filmmakers. With his work as a producer in Plan B, Pitt helped autuers like Martin Scorsese and Adam McKay, while propelling the voices of minority filmmakers such as Steve McQueen in 12 Years A Slave, Joe Talbot in The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Ava DuVernay in Selma, and Barry Jenkins in Moonlight. He has done this without a shred of praise or desire for recognition, and is a great example of what allyship is truly meant to be. Category:Blog posts Category:Personal Ballot